Doctoral Dissertation Research in DRMS: Stress, Status and Gender in Decision-Making Groups Shelley Correll 0751509 Women and men working in occupations that are non-traditional for their gender (for example, a man working as a nurse or a woman working as an engineer) may experience social exclusion and consequent stress as a result of their minority status. In particular, previous research indicates that women in non-traditional occupations will be more likely to experience social isolation and stress than other workers. Using nationally-representative survey data combined with an experimental study that includes self-reports and a biological measure of stress, this research examines whether workers in a numeric minority based on gender do, if fact, encounter greater workplace stress and, if so, whether this stress results in less involvement in group decisions and more physical and psychiatric disorders. The findings from this study will provide insight to those trying to create effective interventions for retaining women in male-dominated occupations (e.g., in the sciences and engineering) as well interventions that increase the likelihood of minority status individuals contributing to decision making processes in the workplace.
